News

Thursday March 9, 2017

Research Catalysts

The University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Hanley Sustainability Institute, will provide up to $500,000 to support faculty and staff research in science, technology, engineering and math the next two summers.

"This award is specifically focused on faculty and programs that have the potential and desire to achieve a national level of recognition," said Doug Daniels, executive director of the University of Dayton SupraMolecular Applied Research and Technology Center, who will coordinate the fund's review committee. "We are encouraging research programs that can clearly articulate their societal impact to underscore the alignment of scientific research on campus with the University's Catholic, Marianist mission."

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Jason Pierce said the program comes in response to recommendations that emerged during the College's strategic planning process. It also addresses a key goal of the College to create and incentivize opportunities for faculty research, and to secure the internal resources and support structures needed to promote faculty success.

"I appreciate the opportunity to partner with the School of Engineering and the Hanley Sustainability Institute in rolling out this new program that will help faculty with bold visions achieve a national level of research prominence," Pierce said.

The program also will help foster and support sustainable, interdisciplinary research programs on campus that can successfully transition to external funding, said Eddy Rojas, School of Engineering dean.

"These grants reinforce our efforts to foster interdisciplinary research partnerships outside the School of Engineering," Rojas said. "That's how major breakthroughs happen."

The grants focus on summer research because a significant amount of faculty and student research is done between the spring and fall academic semesters.

The University of Dayton's research reputation is national, according to National Science Foundation statistics. The University ranks No. 2 in the nation in federally funded materials research and development and third for all materials research and development — ahead of research powerhouses MIT, Princeton, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State and Ohio State. According to NSF statistics for fiscal year 2015, Dayton's $98.6 million research volume in fiscal year 2015 ranks among the top 30 nationally in the following categories…

14th — research and development sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense

17th — federally sponsored engineering research and development

21st — federally sponsored aerospace research and development

27th — all sponsored aerospace research and development

30th — all sponsored engineering research and development

Among Catholic universities and all universities in Ohio, the University of Dayton ranks No. 1 in all sponsored engineering research and development and materials research and development. In Ohio, the University ranks No. 1 for research and development sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The University's research excellence has continued in 2016, eclipsing the $100 million mark for the first time, reaching $117.6 million. The figure ranks ninth among private comprehensive research universities without medical schools in the U.S.

For more information, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at 937-229-3391 or srobinson@udayton.edu.

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